Today in History: May 5

What Happened This Day In History.

A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.

General Joseph Stilwell learns that the Japanese have cut his railway out of China and is forced to lead his troops into India.

1945

Holland and Denmark are liberated from Nazi control.

1961

Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space.

1965

173rd Airborne Brigade arrives in Bien Hoa-Vung, Vietnam, the first regular U.S. Army unit deployed to that country.

1968

U.S. Air Force planes hit Nhi Ha, South Vietnam in support of attacking infantrymen.

1969

Pulitzer Prize awarded to Norman Mailer for his ‘nonfiction novel’ Armies of the Night, an account of the 1967 anti-Vietnam War march on the Pentagon.

1987

Congress opens Iran-Contra hearings.

2000

The Sun, Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn align – Earth’s moon is also almost in this alignment – leading to Doomsday predictions of massive natural disasters, although such a ‘grand confluence’ occurs about once in every century.

Pfc. Dan Bullock died at age 15 in 1969 and efforts to recognize the young African-American Marine continue and are highlighted in this Military Times documentary. (Rodney Bryant and Daniel Woolfolk/Military Times)...

Civil War Times Editor Dana Shoaf shares the story of Confederate soldier Benjamin Mell, wounded at the Battle of South Mountain and buried in Maryland....

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